Alan Titchmarsh, the television presenter, will urge the unemployed to retrain as apprentice gardeners as part of a new Government scheme.

The Ground Force and Gardeners' World star is giving his backing to the £1 million apprenticeship programme, due to be announced today, which involves unemployed people being put to work in local council parks and gardens.

In 1964, a young Mr Titchmarsh was himself employed as an apprentice gardener by Ilkley Council, in Leeds.

He said: "The practical skills provided by apprenticeships are every bit as important as university degrees, especially those involved with the landscape and environment.

"As a former apprentice myself, I value apprenticeships tremendously and am relieved and delighted that this initiative is underway."

As part of the scheme, 44 councils around the country will receive funds to train up apprentice horticulturalists to work on local green spaces.

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Announcing the funding in a speech to planners, developers and gardening experts at the ParkCity[corr] conference in London, Margaret Beckett, the Housing Minister, will say: ``These new apprentices will be green ambassadors in their communities, taking responsibility for our parks and open spaces and making sure they are of the highest quality for everyone to enjoy.

``Green spaces and green infrastructure should not be an added luxury. If we really are to tackle climate change, protect both our environment and our health, green spaces need to be at the heart of our communities.

"We will work closely with planners, developers and experts in the green sector to ensure we have the skills and resources we need to make this happen."

The apprenticeships are open to unemployed people of all ages, and are being offered at councils including Birmingham, Greenwich, in south London, Manchester, Nottingham and south Tyneside.